It is known in the casino industry to tip or “toke” dealers at table games, such as Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, etc. Typically, these tips or tokes are placed through the slot located in the top of a locked tip box affixed to the gaming table. These locked tip boxes are periodically collected, typically at the end of a shift and are then emptied onto a single gaming table and counted by four or five dealers that worked that shift. The counted chips are then taken to the cashier's cage where the count is validated and the chips are exchanged for cash which is distributed amongst the dealers who worked that shift, typically with the counters getting an extra payment for participating in the count.
This system has drawbacks in that it takes additional time at the end of the shift for the dealers to count and divide the tips as well as extra time for the counting personnel in the cage to verify and track the tips that are collected so that they can be paid. This can result in some inaccuracy in the counts, and/or poor tracking for the purposes of accounting of employee tips for tax purposes. Additionally, the gaming chips placed in the tip box are lost from circulation during the period in which the gaming tables are operating, which ultimately requires more frequent refurbishment of chips at the gaming tables which takes away from playing time as well as requires extra personnel to replenish chips at each table at various times during a gaming shift.
It would be desirable to provide a system and method for improving the tracking and payment of tips or tokes to dealers. It would also be desirable to provide the ability to track specific tips by table or dealer I.D.